Containers for food products are well known in the art. Such containers often include a receptacle and a lid. In the manufacture of many food containers, the receptacle is made from paper stock having a seamed sidewall with an upper rolled lip and a bottom wall connected to the sidewall. The lid, which may be hingedly attached to the receptacle, can be mounted to the receptacle in a variety of manners including via a friction fit, screw connection, an adhesive connection and the like.
It is common practice in the packaging industry to fill the receptacle with a product and thereafter secure the lid to the open end of the receptacle. A variety of lidding machines have been devised for this purpose, including high-speed automated lidding machines. Typical lidding machines include a queue or conveyer containing filled receptacles and a magazine containing lids suitable for attachment to the receptacles. The lidding machine selects a lid from the magazine and places it on a filled receptacle. However, lidding machines are generally not adapted for applying lids having “living” hinges onto receptacles.
Accordingly, a need exists for a lid having a “living” hinge that can be placed on a receptacle by an automatic lidding machine. A further need exist for a lid having a “living” hinge wherein the lid's mount structure can be releasably positioned so as to not interfere when the lid is placed onto the receptacle.